3D printing brings customization to the supply chain

Advances in additive manufacturing could have wide-reaching effects, even changing how supply chains are designed long-term, one analyst said.

By Jen A. Miller • Feb. 22, 2022

Labor Department to ramp up worker rights enforcement in warehousing, logistics

An initiative will focus on ensuring workers are paid their legally owed minimum and overtime wages, are safe from harassment and are provided proper time off.

By Emilie Shumway • Feb. 22, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

Retail Supply Chains

Retailers are making operational investments and adjustments to maintain supply chain resilience. Here’s how.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Justice Department to probe companies exploiting supply chain issues

The DOJ's Antitrust Division, in collaboration with the FBI, is taking steps to root out collusion "in industries particularly affected by supply disruptions."

By Sarah Zimmerman • Feb. 18, 2022

Institutional memory is short. It's time to plan for a return to normalcy.

As always happens with boom-and-bust cycles, management’s cry will change from "where are the parts?" to "why do we have so many of them?"

By Rich Weissman • Feb. 17, 2022

'We can go further': HanesBrands trims SKUs by 30% in past 2 years

The company also consolidated suppliers to cut costs, and it plans to add distribution capacity to grow its DTC business.

By Colin Campbell • Feb. 17, 2022

Autonomous vehicles make inroads — inside and outside the warehouse

Drones and driverless vehicle technology will continue to change supply chains as businesses experiment with how best to deploy them.

By Jen A. Miller • Feb. 15, 2022

Wayfair taps Nike, Target vet as new supply chain chief

Sean Halligan joins the online home goods specialist in a tough operating environment, and after years of shipping and fulfillment costs eating up profits.

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 15, 2022

Starbucks accelerates price increases to offset omicron-related costs

Staffing constraints at third-party delivery providers drove costs up at a higher-than-expected rate, executives said.

By Alejandra Carranza • Feb. 14, 2022

Tracking the shift to 24/7 supply chains

The San Pedro Bay ports could continue to dangle the threat of a container dwell fee through this summer.

Retail supply chains were made to be broken. Will brands adapt — or revert?

The past two years have laid bare vulnerabilities that have long existed in the system, including a lack of capacity and geographic concentration in manufacturing.

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 11, 2022

Heightened cold storage demand drives DHL's $400M expansion

A just-in-case approach to pharmaceutical distribution prompted the logistics provider to add six facilities in the U.S.

By Alejandra Carranza • Feb. 11, 2022

Disability inclusion programs help warehouses hire overlooked talent

Retail and logistics companies are accelerating their commitments to workers with disabilities as a labor crunch hampers operations. Experts say the programs have sizeable benefits.

By Colin Campbell • Feb. 8, 2022

Tractor Supply to cut in-store safety stock with just-in-time replenishment centers

The facilities, known as mixing centers, focus on delivering some of the retailer's fastest-turning products in full-pallet quantities.

By Max Garland • Feb. 7, 2022

Labor, transportation costs fuel Amazon's decision to hike Prime price

As the omicron variant makes waves, companies are facing higher operating costs to keep facilities staffed up. Amazon is no exception. 

By Max Garland • Feb. 4, 2022

Fender moves to cloud ERP to keep up with record guitar demand

Businesses are pushing for better scalability and new features in their central provisions systems.

By Roberto Torres • Feb. 2, 2022

Sam's Club rolls out inventory-checking robots chainwide

The technology, based on software developed by artificial intelligence company Brain Corp, will be mounted on autonomous floor-cleaning machines already in operation in stores across the U.S.

By Sam Silverstein • Feb. 1, 2022

Supply chain snags could knock out $17B in apparel and footwear profit in 2022: report

Backups and bottlenecks persist, putting pressure on profits. And only 12% of organizations in the sector are leading in resilience, according to Kearney. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 1, 2022

11 technologies set to shape smart operations

A look at the latest adoption trends for up-and-coming tech among the warehousing and manufacturing sectors, based on MHI data.

By Edwin Lopez • Jan. 31, 2022

2022 supply chain outlook features shortages, high delivery costs

While supply chain woes aren't expected to disappear in 2022, this year could mark a turning point.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 31, 2022

How grocers are managing the twin pressures of supply chain disruption and inflation

Companies need to be particularly "agile" in 2022, one expert said, as high demand and shortages can make inflation appear quickly.

By Jeff Wells • Jan. 31, 2022

BJ's Wholesale to buy four refrigerated distribution centers

The acquisition of the facilities from longtime partner Burris Logistics will allow the club retailer to handle its perishables supply chain in-house.

By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 31, 2022

Shippers plan for disruptions from Lunar New Year: survey

A majority of companies ordered early as the holiday is expected to lengthen transit times and raise freight costs, according to Container xChange.

By Alejandra Carranza • Jan. 31, 2022

Mondelēz reactivates 'COVID playbook' to address low inventory

Early in the pandemic, the snack food giant focused on simplifying its business. High demand and lingering labor constraints have pushed the CPG to revive some aspects of that strategy. 

By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 31, 2022

Kroger to extend delivery network with 'spoke' facility in Kentucky

The 50,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Louisville, set to open later this year, continues the grocer's e-commerce network buildout.

By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 28, 2022

PPG Industries diversifies resin suppliers as staff shortages affect production

Resins were already in tight supply after severe weather in 2021. Rising omicron cases add to the mounting challenges.

By Colin Campbell • Jan. 27, 2022